Watermelon, Feta and Arugula Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is a delicious combination of sweet, salty and savory notes. This salad is simple enough for every day yet sophisticated enough for entertaining! With every bite, you get the sweetness from the watermelon, along with saltiness from the Greek feta cheese. Arugula and watercress add peppery flavor. The tangy honey balsamic dressing adds to the savoriness in the dish. Fresh basil leaves round out the salad with additional bursts of flavor!
Which Feta Cheese To Purchase
I like to use Greek feta cheese in this recipe. However, there are several varieties of feta cheese you can choose from, such as Bulgarian and French as well. Feel free to use whatever feta cheese you prefer. But I have found that a good quality Greek feta cheese will be firm and not crumble when cutting into cubes. If you are not sure which feta cheese to choose, you can check out the different feta cheese varieties in Bon Appetit’s Feta Guide!
Cube It Up
Next, you will want to cut your watermelon and feta cheese. Cut it into uniform cubes for a nice presentation. Regardless of your watermelon size, you will be cutting the watermelon the same way, so pick what is available. Using a sharp knife, cut the whole watermelon into quarters. If your watermelon is large, then cut a quarter in half again into 1/8 of a slice. Cut the rind off the watermelon portion. Cut slices down the length of the watermelon. Turn your cutting board so you can cut the other side of the watermelon, making grid like cuts visible in your watermelon. You may then need to cut the pieces in half again to form your cubes. Cut your feta cheese in similar size cubes, using the same technique.
Ideally, what makes this salad extra pretty is the uniformity of the feta and watermelon cubes. So try your best to cut the watermelon into even size cubes. This will add to your presentation of Watermelon, Feta & Arugula Salad! Toss them on top of your arugula and watercress and begin preparing the dressing.
Top Your Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
Next, add additional tanginess with this delicious Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing! This salad dressing is super easy to prepare and uses only a few ingredients that you probably have on hand in your pantry. Add all the ingredients in a mason jar, shake it up and your salad dressing is ready without any mess! You can double the recipe to have extra dressing on hand during the week.
This salad is perfect for the summer and early Fall. However, with watermelon typically available year round in supermarkets, you can easily make it year anytime you want a taste of summertime!
Watermelon, Feta & Arugula Salad is indeed beautiful and mouthwatering! You can serve it alongside grilled chicken, beef, or shrimp!
Watermelon, Feta and Arugula Salad
Equipment
- 1 Serving Bowl
- 1 Colander
- 1 Watermelon knife
- 1 Jar for salad dressing
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 oz. Arugula (about 1/2 5 oz. bag)
- 1/8 slice Large Watermelon, cubed
- 3 1/2 oz. Greek feta cheese, cubed
- 2 oz. Watercress
- 6 leaves Fresh basil, chiffonade
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 tbsp. Honey
- 1/2 tsp. Dry mint
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Salad:Rinse arugula and watercress in colander and pat dry. Add to bowl. Cut a large watermelon in half and then proceed to cut the half in half again to make 4 quarters. Begin slicing watermelon by cutting off skin and then cutting rows across several times and then cut in opposite direction to make smaller grid like cubed pieces. Add watermelon cubes into salad bowl. Cut feta cheese into uniform cubes. Add into the salad bowl. Take 6 large fresh basil leaves and stack on top of each other, roll and chiffonade basil (slice into long strips). Add strips of basil to the salad bowl.
- Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette:Next, make the honey basil vinaigrette by mixing the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, mint, salt and pepper. Blend well. Pour desired amount onto salad. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Leave a Reply